The Difference
by Sakura the Cookie Monster
Summary: Usagi and Mamoru discuss their fears on a rainy day.


TITLE: The Difference  
  
AUTHOR: Sakura the Cookie Monster  
  
RATING: PG  
  
DISCLAIMER: Standard disclaimers apply. You know the drill.  
  
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It was a stormy Sunday afternoon at Mamoru's apartment. Usagi was resting her head on Mamoru's lap as she was reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The power was out, so she couldn't watch any T.V. or any of the movies that he owned in his apartment. But, she was content in reading the book. She looked up for a second to see him also reading.  
  
"Mamo-chan?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"What are you reading?"  
  
"Lord of the Rings."  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"The Two Towers."  
  
"Ahhhh..," Usagi only replied, noticing that the book was in English. "Is it hard for you to read it in English?"  
  
"Sometimes," he answered, barely giving her a glance. "But, it's worth it."  
  
"Are you... preparing yourself for Harvard?"  
  
Mamoru's shoulders went tense as he pushed his reading glasses back up and said, "Usako, I told you that I don't know if I'm accepted yet."  
  
"They'll accept you. I know they will."  
  
"I doubt it," he merely shrugged as he flipped the next page.  
  
"What's it about?"  
  
"The Lord of the Rings?"  
  
"Mmmmhmmm."  
  
"You've never read it?"  
  
Usagi merely shook her head at that.  
  
"It's about a journey to destroy this ring," Mamoru started, looking away from the book to look at her straight in the eye.  
  
"Sounds boring," she commented as she giggled softly.  
  
"You didn't let me finish," Mamoru interrupted before continuing. "It involves war and the hope that lies within the darkest of times. It also shows that even the most insignificant of all beings can change the fate of this very world."  
  
Usagi had quit her giggling, noting the intense look on his face as she commented, "You must really like the works of Tolkien, huh, Mamo-chan? You have a lot of his books."  
  
"He's a good writer," he quickly answered, trying to get back to reading.  
  
"Mamo-chan?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Do you... ever get scared when fighting?"  
  
Mamoru placed the bookmark on where he last left off and closed the book as he answered, "All the time."  
  
"How do you get rid of that fear?"  
  
"You don't. It's the fear that drives me to fight."  
  
"I thought that you'd be the least likely to get scared. I mean, you're often standing high and somewhere safe as you say your encouraging words."  
  
Mamoru raised his eyebrow as he merely answered, "Usako, as I told you before, even the most insignificant of beings can change the fate of this world. All the time, I feel like Frodo Baggins, not sure if I can do it at all. But I read this book, giving me the hope to go on."  
  
Usagi merely looked up at him as she said, "Mamo-chan?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I have a confession to make."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'm scared too. Sometimes I feel like Harry Potter."  
  
"Harry who?"  
  
"You've never read Harry Potter?"  
  
"Not really. Unazuki keeps suggesting for me to do so, but I just ignore her."  
  
"Well, it's about a young wizard that is considered special. If I told you why, I'd spoil the story for you. But, my point is that he doesn't think that he's special at all and he just wants to live as normal of a life as he can."  
  
"Usako?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"...You confuse me sometimes," was all he said before opening the book again and started to read from where he left off.  
  
Usagi went back to reading her book as she thought, "Mamo-chan, you confuse me all the time."  
  
At that point, Chibi-usa walked in, carrying an old book in her hands.  
  
"Hey Chibi-usa."  
  
"Hi Mamo-chan," was all she said before she sat down next to him on the other side. "...Can you read me a story?"  
  
"Sure, sweetie. Which one do you want to read?"  
  
"...The Hobbit."  
  
Mamoru only smiled as he noticed the pout on Usagi's face, almost as though Chibi-usa had ruined a private moment between the two. "Usako, you're welcome to listen too, if you want."  
  
Usagi only closed her book and sat up as she answered, "I'd love to, but it's close to five and I have to meet the others at Rei's temple."  
  
"Okay, Usako. I'll see you later," he said with a frown on his face.  
  
Usagi placed the book in her book bag and walked out silently, watching him put his book away on the shelf and pulled little Chibi-usa into his lap. She merely closed the door, wondering the difference between children and adults.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" asked Chibi-usa.  
  
"I'm sure it's just nothing," Mamoru only answered as he inquired, "Have your parents ever read it to you?"  
  
"My father always reads it whenever he's not working."  
  
"...He has good taste," Mamoru mused as he opened the book and began reading.  
  
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: ...I can never seem to write a nice Usagi/Mamoru fic, but I thought that I could try my hand at it. This is the result. And don't think that this is what I originally wanted to say. The original author's note was too long, so I just simply trimmed it down to this.  
  
And yes, I am aware of the anachronism in this fic. You don't have to tell me that. 


End file.
